Chapter 207: The Qing Army Invades (Part 2)

On the way back from Shunxiang Fort, Wang Dou said to Zhang Gui beside him, “Old Zhang, what are your thoughts on settling these refugees?”

Zhang Gui had long pondered this question deeply. Hearing Wang Dou’s inquiry, he hurriedly replied, “My lord, in Shun Fort, the Five Forts, Zhangjia Fort, and the various prefectural cities, most arable land has already been reclaimed. However, places like Heishan Temple, Wofo Temple, Fanshan, and Xiejia Fort are largely uninhabited wasteland, where dozens of farming colonies could be established. These areas should accommodate most of the refugees. The remaining population can be assigned to the various workshops, mines, and livestock farms.”

Wang Dou nodded. According to Zhang Gui’s proposal, most of the refugees could indeed be settled. Even if these places could not accommodate all of them, he intended to establish cattle farms, sheep farms, horse farms, and timber plantations on a large scale, and to grow large quantities of vegetables, beans, and horse fodder. These refugee hands could always be placed somewhere.

Reflecting that Zhang Gui was doing his utmost to draw close to him and worked very diligently, Wang Dou considered giving him more responsibility.

He smiled and said, “Old Zhang, I am putting you in charge of establishing the new farming colonies. Whatever manpower you need, you may arrange it all yourself.”

Zhang Gui was overjoyed. As the Farming Officer in the prefectural city, his authority did not actually extend to the Shunxiang Fort area, which was now the most prosperous part of all Baoan Department, with the largest population and the greatest opportunities for advancement — something Zhang Gui had always regretted.

But now, with these words from Wang Dou, tens of thousands of refugees and dozens of farming villages would fall under his management, and his jurisdiction would expand to cover the entire southern part of Baoan Department. Although he expected the affairs to be complex and arduous, this was also an excellent opportunity. If he did well, the Garrison Commander would hold him in even higher regard.

He said solemnly, “My lord, rest assured, your subordinate will put the farming colony affairs in perfect order and spare you any worry.”

Wang Dou nodded slowly.

……

Throughout the rest of the seventh month, every part of Baoan Department bustled with activity. After more than forty thousand refugees arrived in Baoan Department, they were all converted to military household status, registered in the records, and issued household permits. With food and drink provided daily, and having witnessed the lives of military households in Shunxiang Fort and the prefectural city, these refugees all remained calm when they were converted to military household status — many were even overjoyed.

All their able-bodied adults were registered in the rolls. From among them, five thousand men were selected and immediately organized into new troops and began drilling. The remaining new military households were sent in batches to the various farming colony sites. Their orphans had long since been sent to the orphan camp to study, read, and live communally. Their craftsmen and artisans were all selected and assigned to the various workshops and mines. Many others were assigned to the clothing factory, the ironworks, the livestock farms, and other places. The settlement of the new military households proceeded in an orderly fashion.

Establishing new farming colonies required a large number of literate clerks. At five clerks per colony, several dozen colonies would need at least two hundred clerks. So many clerks could only be recruited from the local literate population. A clerk’s post was a respectable job, and Wang Dou also gave each of them one dan of grain per month as salary to support their families, freeing them from want. Not only did many impoverished scholars in Baoan Department scramble to apply, but even many sons of the local gentry were tempted.

The hiring of clerks was overseen by Farming Officer Zhang Gui and Head Clerk Feng Dachang. In selecting clerks, they were both very cautious. Proven ability was one criterion; the other was their attitude and inclination toward the Garrison Commander. Whether in military or civil affairs, Wang Dou’s subordinates were now tightly bound to his interests, and none would permit anyone of a different heart to enter the system.

In truth, from the time Wang Dou began his rise in the seventh year of Chongzhen until his influence now spread across all Baoan Department, Wang Dou had not yet infringed upon the interests of the local landlords and gentry. Toward Wang Dou’s actions, they had initially adopted a cold, detached attitude, but as Wang Dou’s power flourished, many among them began to harbor other thoughts.

Especially after the Provincial Governor’s daughter, Ji Junjiao, entered Wang Dou’s household, the impact on them was even greater. Although Governor Ji’s words were fierce and angry, he made no move to actually make things difficult for Wang Dou. Judging by Wang Dou’s development momentum, his future prospects were limitless. Many began to hesitate — should they now join Wang Dou’s system, board this favorable ship, and seek greater benefits in the future?

Secretly regretting this in his heart was Li Jichen, head of the Li family of Xinzhuang. Years ago, when Wang Dou had jokingly suggested taking his daughter as a concubine, Li Jichen had flown into a rage and cut off all thought of befriending Wang Dou, choosing instead to watch the show from the sidelines. Without his support, how could Wang Dou establish farming colonies and dig wells? He never expected Wang Dou would develop anyway, and now his momentum was even stronger. Even if he sent his daughter into Wang’s household now, with Ji Junjiao already there, it would not make much difference.

In any case, with the addition of these two hundred clerks, the majority of the literati and gentry in Baoan Department now leaned toward Wang Dou.

As for the manager positions of the new farming forts, people all over Baoan Department fought fiercely for them. Baoan Department was now Wang Dou’s domain, and Wang Dou was a pragmatic man who judged everything by results. Military officers could go out and kill the enemy to earn merit; for literati and clerks, they could only rely on their achievements in local governance.

Although the new farming forts were austere, they were also the places where administrative achievements were easiest to make. Not only the original farming fort managers of Shunxiang Fort, but even the officers of the prefectural city’s various forts were itching to make a move.

By the end of the seventh month, the candidates for the farming fort managers were decided, and forty new farming fort managers took up their posts. Perhaps because of past connections with Wang Dou, Zhong Dayong, the Platoon Leader of Huiyao Fort, as well as Jia Duonan, Lu Xianyang, and Zhang Shutang — the original managers of Zhouzhuang, Huzhuang, and Chafang Fort — were also selected as managers of the new farming forts.

Unlike the original farming forts, these new forts no longer had defensive walls built. The farming settlements constructed were no different from the villages of later ages. Wang Dou was now fully developing his field army, and within his territory, apart from the beacon towers, no fort walls had been repaired or added, which also saved him a large sum of money and grain.

In the eighth month of the eleventh year of Chongzhen, after the various farming forts were stabilized, Baoan Department welcomed a new peak of development, with vigorous activity everywhere.

In the middle of the eighth month, at the farming settlement managed by Zhong Dayong in Langwa Fort near Heishan Temple, a new refugee military householder named Long Kun, during casual conversation with Zhong Dayong, inadvertently mentioned an ingenious method of raising chickens from his hometown — using grassland to raise chickens.

After hearing the method he described, Zhong Dayong realized this was his opportunity and hurriedly reported it to Farming Officer Zhang Gui, who in turn urgently reported it to Wang Dou. Wang Dou sensed that this might be a good opportunity to solve the meat supply problem for the troops and civilians within his territory, and he immediately summoned Zhong Dayong and Long Kun to speak with him.

According to the method Long Kun described, the southern part of Baoan Department was mountainous, and among the hills and uplands were many grasslands and wooded areas. Because of drought, these grasslands could not be used for cultivation, nor were they suitable for grazing cattle and sheep. However, they were perfect for raising chickens. The grasslands were vast, and raising chickens on a large scale made it difficult for epidemics to break out, nor would it damage the grassland.

Baoan Department had abundant sunshine and suitable temperatures, and the grasslands were full of insects, grass seeds, tender leaves, and the like — all excellent food for chickens. With these vast grasslands, the grain consumed in daily chicken rearing would amount to only about twenty percent of what was normally required.

Moreover, raising chickens required only a few months of work each year, which could be chosen during the months with sufficient rainfall. Compared to the vicious cycle of raising cattle and sheep — “thin in spring, fat in summer, losing weight in winter” — it held a great advantage.

Not only that, raising chickens did not require many hands, and certainly not able-bodied adults — women, the elderly, and the weak could all manage it. According to him, even a middle-aged woman could easily tend several hundred or even a thousand chickens.

The droppings from the chickens could fertilize the grasslands and could also be collected to fertilize the fields. Long Kun proposed collecting maggots from human and animal waste as feed for the chickens, which could greatly accelerate their fattening rate.

After hearing Long Kun’s words, Wang Dou’s mind raced with excitement. At present, beside the Shunxiang Fort pig farm, there was one chicken farm and one duck farm, each raising only a few hundred birds. Wang Dou imagined: if tens of thousands, even over a hundred thousand chickens were raised within Baoan Department, all that chicken meat, and the eggs they produced…

Wang Dou glanced at Long Kun. The plump, middle-aged man stood nervously below the dais. He said he was from Leping County in Shanxi, where he had once run a chicken farm in his hometown, using grassland to raise chickens. Just when the results were becoming evident, it was razed overnight by horse bandits.

In the present times of the Great Ming, natural disasters and man-made calamities emerged one after another; even wanting to live a peaceful life was impossible. He had brought his family and followed the refugee army to Baoan Department and was assigned to Zhong Dayong’s farming fort. He had no interest in farming, and seeing the excellent environment around him, he could not resist wanting to resume his old trade, so he offered his advice to Farming Fort Manager Zhong Dayong.

He never expected to be personally summoned by the legendary Garrison Commander, which left him both shocked and delighted, yet inwardly anxious and uneasy.

Wang Dou made a prompt decision and said to Zhong Dayong, “Old Zhong, you have found me a talent. No question, this merits a commendation. Keep up the good work in your post as farming fort manager.”

Seeing Wang Dou’s satisfied expression, Zhong Dayong’s oily face shone. He had grown considerably fatter since the seventh year of Chongzhen. Bowing and scraping, he said, “To be able to render even the slightest service to my lord is this humble officer’s honor, my honor.”

His former subordinate from a beacon tower had risen to become the Garrison Commander of an entire department. Zhong Dayong had no other thoughts now but to follow Wang Dou closely. Considering their past as colleagues, Wang Dou would surely find opportunities to nurture and promote him.

Seeing his demeanor, Wang Dou smiled faintly and said to Long Kun, “Mr. Long, I am appointing you as the manager of the chicken farm. Whatever manpower, funds, or grain you need, simply report it to Lord Zhang. The larger the scale of the chicken farm, the better.”

Long Kun knelt down in joyful surprise and kowtowed repeatedly, his blood surging with excitement. The Garrison Commander was truly a man who did great things, and he had even called him “Mr. Long” — he truly treated worthy men with courtesy.

Zhang Gui also said from the side, “My lord, rest assured, your subordinate will give Manager Long his full support.”

Very quickly, the chicken farm at Langwa Fort near Heishan Temple was set up, fully staffed with hands and clerks. Entrusted with this heavy responsibility, Long Kun was still brimming with excitement. Besides dispatching his clerks everywhere to purchase chicks, he also hatched chicks himself, using a method called earthen-jar egg incubation. The chicks hatched by this earthen-jar method required a short time and were no worse than those hatched by hens.

Upon hearing the report, Wang Dou could not help but marvel that the folk technology of the Great Ming at this time was truly extraordinary.

……

As time entered the latter part of the eighth month of the eleventh year of Chongzhen, Wang Dou received word that the gunners trained by Artillery Company Commander Zhao Xuan had achieved considerable results, and the five hundred military wheelbarrows and horse carts built by the Shunxiang Fort woodworking factory had also been completed. Upon hearing this news, Wang Dou eagerly went to Shunxiang Fort to observe.

Sure enough, in the Shunxiang Fort storehouse, rows of wheelbarrows and horse carts were arrayed. These military wagons were all sturdy and durable. On one side of the wagon shafts, there were specially made slots where, in battle, protective shields made of hardwood could be inserted. Formed into a circle in open country, they would surely provide the soldiers inside with the greatest protection. Moreover, the outer faces of the shields were painted with lifelike images of lion heads and fierce beasts, which would certainly give the enemy horses of the Qing troops a great fright.

Not only that, the Shunxiang Fort woodworking factory had also built several command wagons and observation-pole wagons. With the command wagon, the commanding general could sit high atop the vehicle, not only enjoying favorable protection but also having a clear view of the battle situation all around. The observation-pole wagon had a pole over ten meters high; with a soldier standing in the crow’s nest to keep watch, even if enemies approached from several li or over ten li away, they could be seen with perfect clarity.

Looking at these war wagons, Wang Dou was extremely pleased, and the officers around him were also grinning from ear to ear.

Wu Liangheng, the manager of the woodworking factory, stood among the crowd. He said proudly, “My lord, one wheelbarrow can carry two dan of grain, and one horse cart can carry six dan of grain. Two hundred seventy wheelbarrows and two hundred thirty horse carts can transport nearly two thousand dan of fodder and provisions in a single trip.”

Listening to Wu Liangheng’s introduction, the officers grew even more eager. Han Zhong said loudly, “My lord, divide these wagons and equipment among the brothers! You promised that each Company Commander’s supply train would have fifty wheelbarrows and forty horse carts.”

Seeing his younger brother’s unrestrained manner, Han Chao was about to rebuke him, but Wang Dou laughed and said, “You rascal, always so impatient.”

He said, “For the wagons and equipment of the Company Commander supply trains and the battalion supply train, go and ask Qi Tianliang for them. That fellow is now the manager of the military storehouse.”

After co-managing the various Shunxiang Fort storehouses with Lin Daofu for a time, Qi Tianliang was now primarily responsible for the supply and storage of military materiel. After hearing Wang Dou’s words, everyone soon swarmed off to find Qi Tianliang.

Wang Dou also observed the artillery drill conducted by Zhao Xuan at the Shunxiang Fort artillery training ground. At present, the several hundred men of the various Company Commander artillery units and the battalion artillery unit in the Baoan Army were all under Zhao Xuan’s unified training. Large numbers of cannons had been gathered from the prefectural city and the various forts onto the training ground, where the roar of cannon fire resounded every day.

Over the past half year, Zhao Xuan had largely solved the problems of cannon sighting and range-finding. Following Wang Dou’s suggestion, he had selected twenty gunners from the more than two hundred in the artillery unit for rigorous training. Using these gunners to gauge range and observe, and then directing the remaining gunners to fire in volleys, they indeed shot more accurately and with greater power.

Seeing the results of Zhao Xuan’s training, Wang Dou was quite satisfied. Needless to say, the artillery unit was also divided up between the battalion and the various Company Commanders.

At the beginning of the year, Wang Dou had put Li Guangheng in charge of training and managing the cavalry unit. Because the men he selected were all veterans from the various companies, the cavalrymen were spared the drilling of infantry techniques, and the cavalry training proceeded rather quickly. Although they still could not control their mounts to charge enemy formations, galloping like the wind and the techniques of mounted combat and battle formation coordination were no longer a problem. During the bandit suppression in the middle of the year, Wang Dou had sent Li Guangheng out on several sorties, and the results were satisfactory.

In the early ninth month of the eleventh year of Chongzhen, Wang Dou assembled the entire battalion’s officers and soldiers and held a large-scale military exercise at Shunxiang Fort. The results of the exercise were gratifying.

During the exercise, Zhao Xuan proposed to Wang Dou that the cannons be placed inside the infantry formation. Wang Dou was also eager to give it a try. Unexpectedly, the soldiers reacted by saying this put too much psychological pressure on them — they were extremely worried that the cannons would fire into their own backs and heads. Moreover, the main power of the Folangji cannons at this time lay in their canister shot, and canister shot absolutely could not be fired from within the infantry formation.

Amid the boiling outcry, Zhao Xuan could only dejectedly abandon the idea.

Despite this small interlude, Wang Dou was still satisfied with the results of his military strength. All his preparations were now complete, and he was only waiting for this year’s campaign.

……

On the twenty-second day of the ninth month of the eleventh year of Chongzhen, inside and outside Baoanzhen all was calm. That night Wang Dou gazed at the starry sky, his heart unable to settle for a long time.

If history remained unchanged, just this very day, a hundred thousand Qing soldiers had already surged into the Great Ming in mighty force — one column led by Dorgon, breaching the wall at Qingshankou in Jizhen; the other led by Yoto, breaching the wall at Qiangziling in Miyun. Once again the Great Ming would be filled with beacon smoke everywhere, its people plunged into misery and suffering.

In this coming war, what awaited him?